Illuminated gear-shift-lever ball



March 9 1926. 1,575,625 H. GpDl BELKA iLLUMINATED GEAR SHIFT LEVER BALLFiled .Oct. 19, 1925 HENRY o.

Patented Mar. 9, 1926.

7 :IUNIiT-ED STATES PATENT omen,

'DIBELKA,-or' CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORTO THE KINGSLEY-MILLER COMPANY,OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

- v ILLUMINATED GEAR-SHIFT-LEVER BALLL' To all whom it concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY G. DIBELKA,

a citizen of the United States, residing atnated balls for the ends ofgear-shaft levers for automobiles and similar devices.

One aim of the invention is the production of a support for the ball orknob handle which incorporates an electric-switch, whereby the electriccircuit of the lamp within the ball may be readily controlled.

A -further purpose of the invention is the provision of a mounting orsupport of this kind which may be sold as an accessory and applied tothe gear-shift levers of practically all, if not all, makes of cars.

An'added aim of the invention is the production of an appliance of thischaracter which is simple in structure, involving relatively few parts,and which may be manufactured at comparatively small cost.

To enable thosetrained in this art to understand how these and otheradvantages are obtained by the employment of the present invention, inthe accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, andthroughout the several views of which like reference characters havebeen used to designate the same parts, a present desirable and preferredembodiment of the invention has been illustrated in detail.

In these drawings:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section through the new appliance;

'Figure 2 is an elevation of the same;

Figure 3 is a horizontal section on l1ne 33 of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is a similar section on line 4-4 of Figure 1.

Referring to these drawings it will be seen that the new device includesa main, cylindrical support or adapter 11 internally recessed andthreaded at one end at 12 for easy application to the top,screw-threaded end of the gear-shift lever, not shown, 1n

1 Application fi-led October 19, 1925. Serial No. 63,256.

place of the ball or handle with which it is usually fitted.

The opposite end ofthe body 12 is likewise provided with aninternally-threaded passage 13 designed to accommodate the threadedshank or stem 14 of sin-incandescent electric-lamp bulb 15, such passagecommunicating with the larger cylindrical space'lG in the body. r

A translucentor transparent ball 17, such as onyx, colored glass, or thelike, has a cavity 18 therein provided partway of its depth or lengthwith a bushing 19 cemented fixedly therein and having internal threadsadapted to be screwed on to the exterior threads of the reducdend part21 of the body 11.

WVhen these elementsare properly assembled, the incandescent filament ofthe lamp,

is at substantially the'center of such encasing or enclosing ball orhandle 17 the latter peing efl'ectively illuminated by the brilliantamp. v

In order to make the required electrical connection with the lamp,whereby it may receive its current, the cavity 16 has an insu- .lationblock 22 fixed therein by a screw 23, such element 22 accommodating atransverse,

round, electrically-conductive pin or rod 24 with a head 25 located in acut. away section 26 of the block, a portion of the shank of the pinbeing exposed above registering flat surfaces27 and 28 on opposite sidesthereof,

the inner or upper part of the block having an oblique wall or shoulder29 a purpose hereinafter specified.

As is clearly shown, the body 11, opposite provided for the pin. head25, has athreaded opening 31 extended therethrough to detachably ordemountably receive a threaded sleeve 32 around or encasing aninsulating bushing 33 through which'the' end portion of the insu latedwire 34 projects with its conductor end 35 inelectrical contact,with'the exposed face of the head.

' Thus it will be perceived that the electric wire and its mounting maybe readily applied to or detached from the structure, by

merely inserting or removing the associated.

parts 33 and 32. The cylindrical cavity 16 also has or houses therein anoscillatory, reciprocatory,

insulation switch-body 36 designed to be turned or rocked and movedlengthwise slightly to open and close the circuit to the lamp-bulb by ascrew 37 mounted therein and projecting outwardly through a slot 38 inthe wall of the element 11 of greater width than the diameter of thescrew to permit the reciprocation of the body 36 referred to.

spring 43.

The switch element 36' of insulation material has a round-headed screw44 disposed longitudinally thereof, projecting therefrom, and in contactwith the shell41, the head of such screw by the turning'of sleeve 39being adapted to be shifted into and outof contact with the exposed partof the contact pin 24.

When the switch is in fofl position or open condition, the'head of screw44- is held in frictional engagement with the insulation surface 28 by?reason of the tendency of thespring 43 to expand, whereby there is nodanger of the switch being jarred or vibrated into operative or oncondition, the,

' 1 turning of the switch block in the direction of the opening of theswitch being limited by' the engagement of the contact screw 44 with theoblique wall 29 or of the screw 37 with the end of its, slot.

When the'switch is turned into its on or operative position, the screw44 rides slightly over the center of the pin 24, which action ispermitted by reason of the compressibility of the spring 43. and it isthen held in contact with the pin by the tendency of the spring toexpand or elongate, jarring of the movable screw from such desiredrelation being prevented because it is slightly beyond the highest partof the cross pin contact 24 and is consequently yieldingly held with thetwo screws in engagement which, of course, completes the circuit throughthe lamp bulb, the latter having an outer threaded contact grounded onthe body 11 as will bereadily understood.

It will be perceived, therefore, that the spring 43 performs the doublefunction of always maintaining an eflicient and effective contact withthe lamp-bulb and of yieldingly maintaining-the switch-body carrying themovable contact projected toward the stationary switch-element andpermitting the former to slide lengthwise the structure somewhat duringits oscillatory movements,

whereby suitable pressure is exerted between the two contact elements ofthe switch when the latter is closed, and when the switch is and takenoff while the old bulb is being removed and a new one installed,whereupon. the ball, constituting the knob or handle, may be screwedback into place.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited andrestricted to the precise and exact details of structure illus-; tratedand described,-because these may be modified within comparativelv widelimits without departure from the heart and essence of the invention asdefined by the appended claims. a

I claim:

1. In a gear-shiftlever attachment of the character described, thecombination of a hollow adapter designed to be mounted on the lever, anelectric-lamp bulb socket on said adapter, a hollow ball on said adapterto enclose a bulb in said socket, an electricconductor entering saidadapter through its .side wall, an electric-switch in saidadapter in thecircuit of said conductor and bulb means on the exterior of said adapterto operate said switch, and means to prevent the switch from beingjarred out of the position in which it has been set.

2. In a gear-shift lever attachment of the character described, thecombination of a hollow adapter designed to be mounted on the lever, anelectric-lamp bulb socket on the adapter includinga movable contactdesigned to engage one of the terminals of a. lamp bulb in said socket,an electric-switch in said adapter in the circuit of said socket andhaving a movable contact, means exterior to said adapter to permit'theswitch'to be operated, an electric-conductor entering said adapter andelectrically connected to a said switch, and a spring acting on themovable contacts of both said socket and switch. v

3. In a gear-shift lever attachment of the character described, thecombination of a hollow adapter designed to be mounted on the lever, anelectric-lamp bulb socket on said adapter, an insulation body in said,

adapter carrying a contact for a bulb in said socket and a switchcontact in electrical connection therewith, means on the exterior of theadapter for moving said body, a sta-' tionary insulation member in saidadapter, a switch 'contactthereon with which said first switch contactcooperates, ,andan electric conductor entering said adapter and inconnection with said stationary switch contact.

4. Ina gear-shift lever attachment of the character described, thecombination of a hollow adapter designed to be mounted on the lever, anelectric-lamp bulb socket in said adapter, an insulation body mounted insaid adapterfor reciprocation and oscillacharacter described, thecombination of a hollow adapter designed to be mounted on the lever, anelectric-lamp bulb socket in said adapter, an insulation body mounted insaid adapter for reciprocation and oscillation and carrying aspring-pressed contact for a bulb in said socket and a switchcontact inelectrical connection therewith, means on the exterior of the adapterfor turningsaid body, a. stationary insulation member in said adapter, aswitch contact embedded partially in said member with an exposed roundedportion cooperating with said first switch contact, the spring holdingsaid movable insulation body frictionally against displacement both whenthe switch is in open and in closed positions, and an electric conductorentering said adapter and in electrical connection with said stationaryswitch contact.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

HENRY G. DIBELKA. [n 5.]

